Pelargonium plant named &#39;Pactiowhi&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct interspecific Geranium plant named ‘Pactiowhi’, characterized by its broadly upright and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; early and freely flowering habit; and large white-colored single flowers that are held above the foliar plane on strong peduncles.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium x hortorum X Pelargonium peltatum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PACTIOWHI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of interspecific Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium x hortorum X Pelargonium peltatum, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Pactiowhi’.

The new interspecific Geranium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new vigorous interspecific Geranium plants that are suitable for garden use.

The new interspecific Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2013 of an unnamed proprietary selection of Pelargonium x hortorum, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatum, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new interspecific Geranium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany during the spring of 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new interspecific Geranium plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany since January, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this new interspecific Geranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new interspecific Geranium have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Pactiowhi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Pactiowhi’ as a new and distinct interspecific Geranium plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely basal branching habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   6. Large white-colored single flowers that are held above the         foliar plane on strong peduncles.

Plants of the new interspecific Geranium differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in growth habit as plants of the new interspecific Geranium are more vigorous than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new interspecific Geranium can be compared to plants of the Pelargonium x hortorum ‘Paciceberg’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,385. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new interspecific Geranium differ from plants of ‘Paciceberg’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new interspecific Geranium are broader, more         vigorous and grow faster than plants of ‘Paciceberg’.     -   2. Plants of the new interspecific Geranium are more freely         branching than plants of ‘Paciceberg’.     -   3. Plants of the new interspecific Geranium have single flowers         whereas plants of ‘Paciceberg’ have semi-double flowers.     -   4. Plants of the new interspecific Geranium have thinner         peduncles than plants of ‘Paciceberg’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new interspecific Geranium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new interspecific Geranium plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Pactiowhi’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 19-cm containers during the winter, spring and summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial interspecific Geranium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 18° C., night temperatures averaged 16° C. and light levels ranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants were four months old when the photograph was taken and nine months old when the detailed description was taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium x hortorum X Pelargonium     peltatum ‘Pactiowhi’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium x hortorum, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium peltatum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Broadly upright and mounding plant             habit; broad inverted triangle; densely foliated; vigorous             growth habit; rapid growth rate; freely basal branching             habit with about 33 lateral branches developing per plant;             pinching is typically not required.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 33 cm.         -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 25 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 75 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 22 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Internode length: About 1.5 cm. Texture: Moderately             pubescent. Color: Close to 146B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite; simple.         -   Length.—About 4 cm.         -   Width.—About 6.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Rounded to cordate.         -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Cordate, open.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Moderately pubescent;             coriaceous.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137A; venation, close to 137A. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation,             close to 144A. Zonation pattern: Intensity: Faint. Distance             from leaf margin: About 5 mm. Width: About 1.5 cm. Color:             Close to 137A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 5.9 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; rough. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Large single flowers             arranged in roughly hemispherical umbels arising from apical             leaf axils; umbels displayed above the foliar plane on             strong peduncles; flowers face upright to outwardly; freely             flowering habit with about eight flower buds and about 15             open flowers per umbel and about 60 umbels developing per             plant during the flowering season.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Early flowering habit; plants begin             flowering about 75 days after planting; in the garden in             Germany, flowering begins in April and continues until frost             in the autumn.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about six to ten days on the             plant; umbels last about three to four weeks on the plant;             flowers not persistent.         -   Umbel height.—About 5 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 9.5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Shape: Spindle-shaped. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About five; petals not             imbricate. Length, upper and lower petals: About 2.4 cm.             Width, upper petals: About 1.5 cm. Width, lower petals:             Close to 2 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Cuneate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening and fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 155D; venation, close to 155D; color             does not change with development. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 155D; venation, close to             155D; color does not change with development. Petaloids: To             date, petaloid development has not been observed on plants             of the new Interspecific Geranium.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:             Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.         -   Peduncles (umbel stems).—Length: About 12 cm. Diameter:             About 2 mm. Strength: Strong; flexible. Angle: Mostly             upright. Texture: Moderately pubescent. Color: Close to             146A.         -   Pedicels (individual flower stems).—Length: About 2.5 cm.             Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible.             Texture: Moderately pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About seven. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape:             Tubular. Anther color: Close to 161D. Pollen amount:             Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 168A. Gynoecium: Pistil             quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 9 mm. Stigma             shape: Five-parted. Stigma color: Close to 155D. Style             length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close to 155D. Ovary color:             Close to 147C. Seeds and fruits: To date, seed and fruit             development have not been observed on plants of the new             interspecific Geranium. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new interspecific     Geranium have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and     pests common to interspecific Geraniums. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new interspecific Geranium have     been observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to     about 35° C. to 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct interspecific Geranium plant named ‘Pactiowhi’ as illustrated and described. 